Linux detection of processor speed - accurate?

Linux detection of processor speed - accurate?

[James Miller]

This is more of a general hardware question than a Linux question, but
there *is* a Linux component.  Here goes.  I've recently put newer
processors in a couple of older motherboards.  In one case, a BIOS upgrade
had been performed on the machine at some point since it's manufacture, in
the other case, I'm not sure.  In any case, following directions I found
at Tom's hardware for one of them, I put in a 500Mhz processor - but the
BIOS would only show a 400Mhz processor in its report (I'm sure I set the
jumpers right: I double and triple checked it).  In the other, I put a
1.4Ghz processor - but the BIOS report would show only an 800Mhz
processor.  Now, here's where Linux part comes in: despite what the BIOS
report shows about processor speed, Linux's bootup report shows the
correct processor speed - 499Mhz in one case, 1390.xxMhz in the other.
So, who's right - the BIOS report or Linux's bootup record?  Can the OS
use the processor's full speed, even though the BIOS doesn't seem to
recognize it?

Thanks for any input on this marginally Linux question.
James
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Re: Linux detection of processor speed - accurate?

[Jeff Woods]

At 10/3/2003 02:33 PM -0500, James Miller wrote:
>So, who's right - the BIOS report or Linux's bootup record?  Can the OS
>use the processor's full speed, even though the BIOS doesn't seem to
>recognize it?

In my experience, yes, the processor can run faster than the BIOS knows how 
to report the speed.

--
Jeff Woods <kazrak+kernel@cesmail.net> 


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Re: Linux detection of processor speed - accurate?

[Hal MacArgle]

On 10-03, Jeff Woods wrote:
> At 10/3/2003 02:33 PM -0500, James Miller wrote:
> >So, who's right - the BIOS report or Linux's bootup record?  Can the OS
> >use the processor's full speed, even though the BIOS doesn't seem to
> >recognize it?
> 
> In my experience, yes, the processor can run faster than the BIOS knows how 
> to report the speed.
> 
> --
> Jeff Woods <kazrak+kernel@cesmail.net> 

Greetings: Being parochial about Linux I would trust what it reports
above anything else.. Linux developers "care." M$'s MSD program still
reports a 1Ghz processor as a "486", whatever. <grin>

You must be familiar with the 'bogomips' report either run alone or
check dmesg.. I find that a clue as to what really goes on... Someone
may know it's not really accurate either and I suspect that's why
it's called "bogus million operations a second." <grin> At least we're
forewarned and disclaimed.. Keep busy.

Cheers,

    Hal - in Terra Alta, WV - Slackware GNU/Linux 9.0   (2.4.20)
                Proprietary  Formats  Unacceptable
.
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